Immediate Action by Officers Saves LivesYesterday evening around 7:29pm, due to the courageous action of officers from the Youth Violence Strike Force, District B-2, E-13 and the Tactical Bike Unit two suspects were arrested: Hasaan A. Seales, 19, of Roxbury was arrested and charged with Unlawful Possession of Ammunition, Unlawful Possession of a Firearm, Assault by Means of a Dangerous Weapon (Gun), and Discharging a Weapon within 500’ of a Dwelling and Charles Bomman, 18, of Jamaica Plain was arrested and charged with Unlawful Possession of Ammunition, Unlawful Possession of a Firearm, Assault by Means of a Dangerous Weapon (Gun), Discharging a Weapon within 500’ of a Dwelling, and Carrying a Loaded Firearm on a Public Way.
The above arrests were initiated by officers from the Youth Violence Strike Force who were patrolling in the Academy Homes Housing Complex when they heard numerous shots coming from the direction of Weaver Way and Ritchie Street. Officers immediately made their way to the area where they had heard the shots fired while broadcasting the incident to other responding units. As officers reached Ritchie St. they observed the two suspects armed with handguns running down Ritchie St. toward Columbus Avenue.
Officers pulled up alongside the two armed, running suspects to try to apprehend them when one changed direction and ran inside Marcella Park where children and parents were already fleeing seeking cover after hearing the shots fired. Both suspects were pursued into the park where they continued to try to elude officers by jumping fences, running into the children’s playground area, and under bleachers in the park.
Numerous units responded from several districts including B-2, E-13, and the Tactical Bike Unit and after a lengthy foot chase both suspects were caught and placed under arrest with one of them violently resisting arrests by fighting with officers. After both suspects were arrested, officers were able to recover two firearms, both loaded with ammunition, and a car that was possibly the intended victim of the shooting.
Shots Fired Leads to Firearm Recovery
Last night around 9:08, officers from the Youth Violence Strike Force responded to the area of Speedwell and Hamilton Streets for a report for shots fired. En route, several concerned citizens informed officers that they also had heard several shots in the area.
Officers made their way toward the location of the shots fired on Speedwell St., and while traveling up the street observed two individuals walking on Hamilton St. toward Speedwell Street. Based on the proximity of these two individuals to the reported location of the shots fired, officers exited their cruiser to ask them if they had heard or seen anything relative to the shots fired. Officers approached the two individuals, and asked them if they had heard the shots fired. On officers’ approach and inquiry, one of the two individuals appeared to be startled and failed to respond to officers’ questions. In addition, the suspect had a nervous demeanor, and appeared to be discombobulated by the officers’ presence.
Based on the totality of the circumstances, the proximity of the individuals to the location of the shots fired, the nervous appearance of one of the two suspects, and the failure to respond to officers’ questions, officers performed a pat frisk of the two for their safety. During a pat frisk of one these two individuals, officers felt something consistent with the shape of a firearm. Further investigation revealed one of the two to have a loaded firearm on his person.
Suspect, Darren S. Winston, 19, of Dorchester was arrested and charged with Unlawful Possession of Firearm, Unlawful Possession of Ammunition, and Possession of a Loaded Firearm.
Suspect Arrested Before Court Appearance (In Front of the Court)
This morning around 10:46am, officers from District B-2 arrested suspect, Antonio Bland, 31, of Dorchester and charged him with Witness Intimidation and Disorderly Conduct in front of the Roxbury District Court.
Officers were in court for a case involving the suspect when they observed him outside the court motioning with his fingers as if armed with a gun, and squeezing the trigger firing at in the direction of officers. The suspect was looking directly in the direction of the officers while being observed by a group of young males looked on. Officers exited the courthouse to conduct a threshold inquiry and determine if indeed the suspect was armed when he became loud and argumentative. The suspect created a disturbance in front of the courthouse causing individuals entering the court to stop and watch, and caused those inside the courthouse to exit and watch as he became increasingly loud and disruptive to the activities that were taking place in the court. Consequently, the suspect was arrested and charged with the above offenses.